


Take Me Home To The Sea

by The_Risen_Phoenix



Category: Devil May Cry
Genre: Character Death, Halfling!V, Jealousy, Language Barrier, M/M, Mer!Nero, MerMay, brief mention of experimentation, developing feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-20
Updated: 2020-06-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:35:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24285208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Risen_Phoenix/pseuds/The_Risen_Phoenix
Summary: Nero always knew that his curiosity would get him into trouble one day, and this time it had.Captured and used as entertainment for the humans, all seemed lost; until he met the halfling who knew nothing of his own nature.Can these two lost souls find happiness in this situation? Or is heartache the only thing left for them?
Relationships: Nero/V (Devil May Cry)
Comments: 24
Kudos: 56





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This probably isn't going to be completed in May, but well, at least I started it for MerMay.

The water churned angrily around him as Nero struggled frantically to free himself from the net closing in around him. Panic started to rise within his chest as the touch of salt water roughened rope brushed against his skin, his chance to break free all but gone. He cursed the curiosity that had led him to swim closer to the large metal enclosure than he had ever gotten before, tripping an alarm and causing the net to fall upon him.

As he struggled, Nero could hear to desperate cries of his family calling out to him, all of them watching as he was lifted into the air, body held immobile. He called out to them reassuringly, urging them to keep safe and not try to free him. He could see both his father and uncle swimming closer, weapons gripped tightly in their fists, ready to cut him free; but Nero cried out to them not to come closer. He did not know if the humans had more nets, and he did not want to risk them getting caught also – he also did not want them to be caught by those little, bright red eyes either.

As he was pulled above the surface of the water, Nero squinted at the bright glare of lights aimed down upon him. At least half a dozen humans stood watching as he was hauled up, their greedy eyes taking in the sight of the scaled tail emerging from just below his waist; their murmurs of excitement meaning nothing good for Nero.

A loud metallic screech signalled the start of the net changing position, Nero grasping at the ropes as he started swaying in the air with the movement. He could see himself being lifted over the high metal walls that had so interested him earlier, being lowered into the enclosed space beyond. Without warning, half of the net dropped out from beneath him, leaving Nero clinging to the net – his last chance at avoiding falling into that man made pond – dangling above the foreign water. Feeling his hands slip, Nero fell with a cry, landing with a splash in the enclosure.

With swift flicks of his tail, Nero darted around the space he found himself in, hands slamming up against cold steel at every turn. A screech fell from his lips, anger and fear, thrumming heavily through his veins. Faintly, Nero could hear his family calling out to him still, and he cursed them as fools for not heading for safer water already.

“Nero! Nero can you hear me?” Nero could hear the frantic voice of his father calling out to him. “We will work out a way to get you out of there son, no matter what it takes.”

“NO!” Nero's voice rose an octave, “Leave me and stay safe! I will find a way out myself.”

The researchers leant forwards eagerly, pulling out equipment to try to work out the meanings of the sounds Nero was making, clipboards held in their hands as they scribbled notes down rapidly. It wasn't long before the tailed man was not so gently urged to move from his initial enclosure into a much smaller area; this one completely enclosed, the sky hidden from his view, and lights blazing down upon the water. There was nothing else in the water besides Nero himself, not a trace of sea life anywhere to be found. Even the ground was bare of the soft grains of sand that he was accustomed to, a hard, cold surface the only thing to meet his inquisitive hands. In short, there was no where for Nero to hide, and not a single weakness in the enclosure that he has found.

It wasn't surprising that the confinement and lack of escape options started to make Nero panic, his screeches filling the space with their vibrations and hurting the researchers' ears. Swimming frantically from one corner to the next, Nero failed to see the gun aimed towards him, startling when a red tipped dart slammed into his tail. His movements soon started turning sluggish and uncoordinated, his eyes forcefully closing against his will. The humans watched as their catch finally succumbed to sleep, plans already forming in their minds.

For the next few weeks Nero found himself subjected to a flurry of tests, none of which ended well for him. The first day they had sent in a couple of divers to try to restrain him so that they could draw some blood samples; but they quickly learnt that he was extremely dangerous in the water, regardless of any visible weapons on his person. Instead they would sedate him with more of the red tipped darts, before pulling him out of the water and restraining him to run their tests.

This brought up yet another problem that they had not accounted for – Nero's voice above water being alluring and urging the entire group to release his bonds. If it had not been for the guards in the security office keeping watch, all of the humans would gladly have released the creature back into the sea.

Nero was a mer and not a siren, and as such his power was more akin to suggestion; unlike his rarer cousins who could lure men to their deaths with their song. It wasn't that sirens were inherently bad, it was just that humans could not help but be attracted to their song, disregarding everything but getting closer to the source. It had also been whispered, that sirens were also susceptible to falling in love with humans, though Nero himself had never heard of such a thing happening.

The humans had gotten around the issue of Nero's voice, by wrapping a collar around his neck that would send shock waves through his system if he tried to speak when above water. They had not felt it an issue to let him wail beneath the surface, as although the vibrations caused some discomfort to them, it did not have the same affect as they could not understand his words.

And so blood was pulled from his veins, and scales ripped from his tail and skin. They poked him with their cold, metal instruments, questioning him also, even if they did not seem to feel that he had the intelligence to answer their questions. Nero listened in fear as they speculated that there must be more of his kind around, and only their not so quiet grumbling about a lack of funds to investigate put him back at ease again.

Nero had been locked up for more than a month by his guess, when he felt a shift in the air. Something that caught his attention, though seemed to be unnoticed by every one of the other humans surrounding him. It was something not quite mer, but not entirely human either. Maybe a halfling? They did exist, though they were very rare. Most humans tried to catch and sell mer rather than mate with them. Besides, such relationships were doomed from the start, as mer could not live upon land, and humans could not survive under the sea. A fleeting fling was the most they could hope to gain; the risk not worth the possible reward.

Nero picked restlessly at the fish they kept throwing into his enclosure, disgust filling him at the already dead, stale offerings that dirtied up the water. If he had the choice, Nero would have ignored them and starved himself; but he couldn't allow himself to weaken. Not if the chance to escape one day relied on him being able to get himself out. And so he ate the disgusting and tasteless morsels, eyes glaring out at the researchers balefully as his teeth tore through scales and bone, crunching unhappily.

He paused in his eating at the feeling that had been coming and going recently, the cause of which seemed to grow stronger, grow closer. Abandoning his food hastily, Nero swum to the top of the enclosure, water pouring from his body, as he watched the entrance point eagerly. Disappointingly, the presence did not enter the room, had in fact stopped approaching the area where Nero was kept, seeming to stall at that one stop outside of his vision.

Nero opened his mouth, to call out to them, beg them to come to him – to free him; wanted to ask why they would allow their kin to be kept trapped like he was. But as soon as he opened his mouth to utter the first word, pain shot through his neck, closing his throat and leaving him unable to draw breath. Gripping his aching throat in trembling hands, Nero sank to the bottom of the tank, unconsciousness pulling him under.

The last thing Nero did knew before he knew no more, was utter a low, mournful ' _why_ _'_ that echoed throughout the area.

When Nero awoke next, he was disorientated. Nothing he could see seemed familiar, and the now usual view of bright lights and beeping machines was absent. Instead there was filtered light falling from above, leaving most of the water in a dim glow; soft sand, rocks and coral littered the ground, and small brightly coloured fish swum around his inert form,occasionally stopping to nibble at Nero's tail. With a absent-minded flick of this tail fin that sent all the fish scattering, Nero pulled himself sluggishly from the bottom of his new tank to investigate further.

It was only after Nero caught sight of many new humans looking in at him, gawking, that Nero started to feel fear course through his veins.

Wha..what was going on? Where was he now? Why were there more humans surrounding him? Were they all going to try to remove his scales also? His mouth opened on a scream, silent to most of the onlookers, though the vibrations were enough to send a few stumbling away. One man though, his face paled dramatically, wide green eyes filled with a foreign emotion that even he himself could not name.

Throat aching from his most recent punishment, Nero's cries soon tapered off into silence, though he was too tired to notice. The humans that had so recently gathered before him drifted off to other areas of the aquarium, the allure of the mer soon fading away as it retreated behind rocks to hide from view.

Nero wasn't sure how long it was before he became aware that the feeling that had been plaguing him now, was the same as he had been feeling for days now, but when he realised, he cautiously swum out from his hiding place. A single human stood before the barrier separating them, hand pressed flat against the surface, wide green eyes scanning the enclosure, hoping to catch sight of Nero.

Wary blue eyes met those of the shocked human, a low thrill rising in Nero's chest as he stared the human down. No, not human, well not fully anyway; the person before him was a halfling – a mix of human and siren. Though by the looks of him, and his confusion at Nero's almost instinctive call of welcome, he had had no knowledge of the fact. Perhaps that would explain why he looked so sickly, as their kind were not meant to be kept apart from the sea for too long. Nero could only surmise that the reason he was not wilting, was the fact that his tank was filtering water from the sea into his enclosure somehow – probably that huge metal door and grate that had initially caught his attention and gotten him into this mess in the first place.

A strange, discordant hum caught Nero's attention then, and it took him a moment to realise that it was coming from the halfling before him. Some suppressed instinct in the man must be rising to the surface, and he was unconsciously trying to communicate with Nero. Opening his own mouth to reply, Nero watched as a look of confusion crossed the halflings face – well that made things harder then, Nero grumped internally. He wouldn't be able to ask the other to help him escape, assuming that he would in the first place.

Nero's humming abruptly cut off when he noticed the researchers hovering in the shadows behind the dark haired man, a look of fascination in their wide, greedy eyes. Nero just hoped that nothing bad happened to the man before him; only hoping that looking human would be a deterrent to them, when it came to experimenting on him.

With a last lingering look towards the halfling, Nero turned, tail fanning out behind him, and once more hid amongst the rocks in the enclosure. If Nero were to guess, he was left alone in his new tank for several days, only the cycle of being fed, and the streams of humans standing before the clear barrier trying to catch a glance at him, helping to mark the passing of time.

Each time a new group of humans arrived, Nero would hope that the halfling would return, only to feel disappointment when he didn't feel that same familiarity in his gut when he had appeared last time. Nero had been taken back to that cold, sterile room several times for more testing – each time being thrust back into the role of unwilling entertainment for those humans, sore and rapidly losing hope each time – before that feeling tingled along his scales again. Sluggishly, Nero drifted out from his usual hiding place – almost surprised at this point that they hadn't removed the rocks already – and made his way towards where the man stood once again, hand pressed lightly against the glass.

Green eyes locked with ocean blue, as Nero pressed his own hand against the glass, only the cool surface separating their hands. Ignoring the other humans gawking at them both, flashes of bright light half blinding him, Nero sung to the halfling. His song was sad and haunting, filling the green eyed man with a desperate sadness, a yearning to break free and return _home_. The humans grimaced in pain as Nero's song caused pain to spring up in their heads, and they drifted away hastily.

The low, broken humming started again from the man, his song confusing but heartfelt. Nero trilled softly along with the man, his own song intertwining and blending with the other's. Tears started to fall down the man's face, a broken smile pulling at his lips, before he turned away, fingers trailing lightly across the glass in farewell.

“V!” the dark haired man looked up at the call and hurried towards the exit, hesitating before he stepped through, but ultimately not turning back around.

V....his name was V. Such an unusual name, Nero thought to himself. Humans surely were strange creatures.


	2. Chapter 2

V wandered aimlessly through the streets, clutching his satchel bag to his side as he weaved between the crowds hovering around the ocean's edge. He frowned slightly, wondering why there were so many people around, until he realised that the holiday season had begun, and people were happily heading out and about with their friends and families.

Smiling wistfully at the groups of happy people, he turned away once more, shuffling towards a bench set off the path, and thankfully out of the way of most of the crowd. Sitting down upon the sea worn wood, V pulled out his sketchbook, tugging his pencil free from the spiral spine, and flipping it open until he found a free page. Eyes wandering around the area lazily, V's hand started to move over the open page automatically. Up and down, V's eyes flickered, taking in every scene before him, fingers reaching out to smudge a few of his lines, softening the picture.

It was only when his stomach growled angrily, that V realised he had been sitting out there for hours already, and he looked down to take a closer look at what he had drawn. The picture before him could have come straight out of a fantasy novel; a beautiful underwater castle with mermaids and mermen swimming happily in the sea. It was with no sense of surprise that V realised he had taken inspiration for the castle's design from the aquarium itself, the mer's faces taking on characteristics of the people that V had unconsciously taken note of surrounding him.

A soft smile tugged at V's lips as he looked at what he had drawn; the sea always seeming to hold a strange fascination for him. He wanted to be close to the sea, wanted to breathe in that tang of salt and brine, to descend below those gentle waves and submerge himself wholly. But he had never be able to, his body to weak to be allowed to learn to swim in a pool, much less in the dangerously unpredictable ocean. And so V had wished and dreamed, losing himself in fantasy; building worlds and magical creatures in his mind to sate his hunger. And still, it was never enough.

Closing the sketchbook gently, V rose from his seat, wincing slightly as his muscles protested his movements after being seated in one position for so long. With one final, longing glance towards the sea, V turned and made his way home.

He returned the next day once more, the crowds of people laughing and having fun with each other filling the area, and leaving V feeling more alone than ever before. He wasn't really sure just why had had come back to this spot in particular again, as he normally preferred to wander to new places for inspiration, but there was just something – some feeling – that drew him back. Day after day, V returned to the ocean side, the aquarium looming behind him, as the little boats bobbed gaily in the water before him. His sketchbook filled with more fanciful scenes of creatures born from myth, their scaled bodies and sinuous limbs lending each picture a sense of unreality.

Excited chatting distracted V from his latest sketch, one of a beautiful male mer that V liked to imagine as a fighter and hunter for his clan, short haired and wild eyes; untameable. He looked up distractedly, eyes widening as he registered the unbelievable words he was hearing.

“....Heard they now have a mer in the aquarium! I mean it's probably not even a real mermaid, just some normal fish with a fancy name they are teasing us with or something....but just imagine if it's actually true!”

V didn't realise that he had already risen from his seat, feet unconsciously walking him towards the front of the aquarium without thought. He handed over his debit card in a daze, accepting the map and flyers proclaiming 'a real live mer' to now be residing there. Having no idea where he was going, V tagged along with a large group of tourists, following in their footsteps and hoping that he would end up where he wished and not some dark alcove with all of the less desirable creatures. Sure V might love the ocean and it's inhabitants, but that didn't mean he wanted to come face to face with sea snakes or spider crabs.

As he walked, V started to feel a strange tingling upon his arms, and he rubbed at them to try to ease the sensation. He assumed it had something to do with static electricity or something similar, but honestly he didn't give it too much thought.

It was almost an hour later when they arrived at the aquarium's featured spectacle, and disappointingly the room was packed. The people at the front of the crowd seemed to be complaining quite loudly though, something about not being able to see anything at all in the tank, and wondering if they had been tricked after all. Was it perhaps a publicity stunt? Was it April fools'?

Slowly, though quicker than he had originally thought he would, V managed to move closer and closer to the front of the tank. The feeling sparking along his skin kept growing stronger and stronger, until V wanted to claw his skin from his bones, just to make it stop.

And then suddenly it did.

V wasn't sure just when he had managed to make it to the front of the crowd, and at first there was nothing to see but a beautiful enclosure that was made to look like the sea. Green eyes scanned the rest of the enclosure, finally landing upon the creature of myth lying prone upon the sand; body twisted in an unnatural position, as though to scream to the world the lie of natural sleep.

As he stared, V watched as the mer started to twitch, face scrunching up in what he could only assume was pain, eyes the colour of the ocean at night, cracking open to stare in confusion at his surroundings. A lazy flick of the tail had the fish obscuring his vision fleeing, and V could finally take in the sight before him.

The male before him was beautiful, there was no other word to describe him, unless you were to say otherworldly. His hair looked like it had been spun from moonbeams, silvery white, with just the faintest tint of blue. The gods would surely cry to be compared with a face and body such as the mer possessed, lean muscles and sharp angles combined to create perfection. His ears were not the same as a humans' – and why would they be, because humans were flawed and this creature was flawless? – but fanned out from his head, shaded in colours of blue and red. Scales dotted his shoulders and arms, hands covered in blue scales, clawed tips curling into fists.

Along his sides V spotted three slits upon his ribcage, opening and closing gently as the mer breathed, their movements becoming harsher as he seemed to take in his surroundings. And his tail, oh his tail was without compare. Silvery blue scales started around the mer's waist, just below his gills, blending his torso into darker blue scales at they reached the last fluttering silver of his tail, fanned out within the water. V felt like he had never seen anything so beautiful in his life, but at the same time, he thought that the mer looked familiar; but that was impossible.

As soon as the mer saw the crowd staring at him, he started to thrash, mouth opening in what would be a silent scream to most, but that V could feel down to his very bones. The pain and fear that he could hear in that scream tore his heart to pieces, and he was sure his face reflected this feeling. His eyes caught terrified blue, before the creature seemed able to gather his wits, and disappeared behind the decorative rocks.

Seeming to be mostly unaware of the terror of the mer, the crowd surrounding him murmured excitedly at seeing such a being; children squealing and banging against the glass with their sticky fists, pushing and knocking aside all who stood in their way. This is how V found himself stumbling backwards, pushed initially by the children, and then by the eager adults who clamoured to get closer for a peek. Unfortunately for them though, the mer had hidden himself well, and he did not appear to be willing to make another appearance.

Taking a seat on one of the benches in the area, V sighed heavily, heart thudding in his chest as quick as butterfly wings. Trying to calm his racing heart, V withdrew his sketchbook, flipping it open to find a clean page, and yet pausing when he came across his last picture. The picture he had drawn before he had come inside the aquarium; the merman. Staring down at the picture, V could stop the little hitch of his breath, as he took in each stroke of the pencil upon the paper; nearly every line a copy of the mer caged in the enclosure before him. The only difference that stood out to V, was the disgusting collar that he had seen strapped around the mer's throat.

This...this was too much to be a coincidence surely, V mused. He didn't realise just how much time had passed as he stared down at his drawing, unaware of the masses of people leaving disappointedly when the mer remained hidden from view. It was only as the tingling along his skin grew stronger once more, that V lifted his head, eyes darting back towards the empty tank. Nothing could be seen from this angle, so V tucked his book away once more, and drifted closer to the glass once more.

Still nothing. But then movement from behind the rocks, just the smallest flutter of an almost invisible fin, easily mistaken for the shifts of light upon the water, caught his eye. His sharp intake of breath leaving him in a whoosh as the mer approached him; a low trill of sound filling his ears. V tilted his head in confusion at the seemingly expectant look the mer was shooting him, his heart falling as the mer's face fell with disappointment. All though was cleared from his mind as a clawed and scaled hand pressed against the glass, and it was only then that V realised that his own hand was mirroring that of the mer, their eyes meeting and holding.

V opened his mouth to try to speak to the creature, to ask his name, his age anything! But instead of words, a low, toneless hum escaped him. The mer tilted his head slightly, a brief look of concentration crossing his face, before he responded in kind; though his voice was melodic and flowing, like the ocean turned to sound. Blue eyes stared at V bright with hope, but he didn't understand what he wanted, didn't understand if the mer were singing to him or trying to talk. Before he could even think, the mer's gaze slid over his shoulder, eyes hardening slightly, before he flipped his tail and disappeared once more.

Something told V that the wouldn't be seeing him again that day, and with reluctance, he left the aquarium; missing the considering glances thrown his way.

V convinced himself to stay at home for the next few days, no matter how much he itched to go back and stay by the mer's enclosure. He told himself that he wouldn't even be able to get close to the glass again, and even if he did, perhaps the mer would hide away like he had before. Any communication that they had attempted had all been in his head surely, and there was no reason to hope that he had been something special just because of his encounter.

His excuses only lasted for ten days before V once again found himself shuffling through the doors to the aquarium, satchel bag slung over his shoulder, sketchbook and pencils stashed safely within. His friend Griffon tagged along with him, worried about his health, and determined to not let him overdo things. Together, they make it to the special display space, where they hovered uncertainly at the back of the room, the crowd of people preventing him from seeing more than the top of the enclosure. Taking a seat upon the bench once more, V resigned himself to just being in the same room as the mer. Without a second thought, Griffon flopped down beside him, tilting his head back in boredom, and quickly falling to sleep.

Hours must have passed, before finally the crowd thinned out a little, and V was able to squeeze past an overexcited family to make his way to the glass, hand pressing against the cool surface firmly, hoping – praying – that he would catch just one more glimpse. Gasps filled the air as the mer emerged from behind the rocks, swimming slowly, as though in pain. V's eyes scanned over the mer, taking in the reddened patches of scales upon his tail that should not have been there, the tiny pinprick marks upon his arms and torso, and his gut burned.

How...how dare they? How dare they take this creature from his home and do this to him? V didn't even realise he was shaking, until the mer stopped before him, hands pressed together once more. The song that filled V's ears caused the aching in his heart to grow, even as the pull and desire for freedom resonated within himself also. He wanted to be free too; wanted to not be trapped in his weak body.

“V,” Griffon called him then, obviously noting his shaking body, and letting him know it was time to go home.

V turned to look towards where Griffon had sat, only to notice that he had moved to the exit already, and hesitated to heed his call. He knew if he didn't come soon, Griffon would surely march back into the room and drag him from it, so to save himself the humiliation, V turned and left. At the exit, he paused briefly, wishing so badly to turn back just once more, but knowing if he did, he would never leave. So without a backwards glance, V left the room.


	3. Chapter 3

Nero wouldn't say that he wished to see the halfling again, but that would be lying to himself. There was something about the other man that intrigued him; that called out to him in response to his call, and answered all of the questions he hadn't yet asked.

He wondered sometimes, if they had been able to communicate, what would the other man say? Would he give up his life on the land and follow Nero into the ocean? Was he able to live in the ocean even? Nero wished his father were here to ask; the older man always seeming to know just what needed to be said to make Nero feel better.

It had been a few days since V's second visit, and Nero had been unhappy to find that he had been pulled back into the research centre whilst he had slept. There appeared to be less humans around than normal, but Nero didn't put much thought into that fact. He could only be thankful that at least he hadn't been drugged and poked and prodded yet; and was in fact swimming lazily around the grate that was his ticket to freedom.

The sound of a door being pushed open caught his attention briefly, a quickly glance over quickly turning into a double take, as V followed meekly behind a few white coated researchers. Nero shot up to the surface, surprisingly still left open, clawing his way upwards until his upper body hung over the edge. Shouts of alarm rang through the air, as they tried to push Nero back into the water, but a quick swipe of his claws soon sent them stumbling back.

Only V stood unafraid of Nero, his eyes wide and filled with determination, making not a single move to help restrain Nero, no matter how much he was yelled at to assist them. What the stupid humans thought that such a frail looking man could do against a fully grown, healthy mer, Nero wasn't too sure; and he could only be thankful that they didn't realise if V were just to ask, Nero would do anything he desired.

It wasn't that he wanted to, but Nero would not refuse a request of another of his kind, knowingly or not.

Finally they pulled out the sedatives, dart gun loaded up and aimed towards Nero's exposed torso, as they were growing frantic the further Nero pulled himself upon the flat area the researchers usually stood upon to feed him, or observe him from above. The sting of the dart hitting his chest made Nero hiss, his body quickly succumbing to the sedative, limbs losing their strength and causing him to fall back into the tank. Just before his eyes fell closed, Nero met V's wide, shocked eyes with a heated glare, then sunk into a dreamless sleep upon the cold metal floor of his tank.

The lights had all been dimmed in the room when Nero next woke, neck aching from lying in the position he had fallen in. Rubbing harshly at the ache, Nero took stock of his surroundings, surprised to note that he hadn't been shifted back into the viewing area.

The darkened lab was only lit by the flashing lights of the monitors and a few down lights beside the entrance, but the dim light did not bother Nero, as his eyes were used to the cold darkness of the depths of the ocean; in fact his eyes had been strained lately, with all of the bright lights shone down upon him constantly.

The quiet chatter of the researchers let Nero know that he wasn't alone, even at this late hour, and that he was still being observed; but the soft breathes closer by alerted Nero to the fact that there was someone perched upon the very same platform he had tried to escape form earlier. Cautiously turning his eyes towards the sound, Nero kept his head still to try not to alert them that he was awake and observing them.

His eyes landed upon the halfling, V, peering into the water. Somehow Nero knew that despite the darkness of his tank, V could see him, and knew that he had awoken. Staring up at his curious gaze, Nero started to feel a sense of betrayal fill him. V hadn't helped Nero, had done nothing to stop the researchers from sedating Nero, and in fact here and now, he seemed to be helping to keep and eye on him. How could he? How could he allow this to happen to another of his own kind? Did he not care?

Rage burned hot through his veins, and Nero uncurled himself from the floor, keeping his eyes locked with V's. Flipping his tail harshly, Nero rose to the surface of the tank, watching as V leant down to watch him approach. Perfect, Nero thought to himself, reaching out towards the clueless halfling traitor.

V's shout of alarm was cut off as he was pulled into the water, Nero wrapping his arms around V tightly to prevent him from escaping his hold and returning to the surface. V writhed desperately within his hold for a few moments, before their eyes inevitably clashed; falling motionless as he saw the emotion banked in Nero's blazing eyes.

Nero wasn't sure just what thoughts filled V's mind in that moment, but the look of utter surrender upon his victim's mind disturbed him. What...what was happening? In fact, why was Nero doing this? He had never attempted anything like this with any of the researchers before; and they had actively hurt him. V had...V hadn't done anything to Nero, and it was only the fact that Nero felt that they should have some kind of connection, some kinship, that he felt betrayed by his inactions.

But hadn't he thought it to himself earlier when the researchers had called for help? V would not have been able to fight back the group to help Nero, and would in fact likely have gotten injured just trying.

Still though, Nero did not release his hold on the halfling; instead, sinking even lower into the tank. V's chest started heaving the longer Nero held him under, and with a strange sort of detachment his eyes roved over V's body searching for any signs that he might reveal his siren origins. That was laughable of course, as there wasn't a way for mer or sirens to grow legs, nor for halflings to changed between forms; the child borne of a union of human and creature would always take after the mother.

So really there was no purpose in keeping V under the way with him, and Nero knew that; but somehow after you looked past the fear and resignation that was painted clearly across those delicate features, Nero could see a sense of peace – like coming home from a long journey. V obviously felt at home in the water, and Nero could only wonder why he had kept away from it for so long if he felt that way.

Seeing the last gasp of V's air escape the man, the bubbles of air rising to the surface, Nero reluctantly released him, watching with concern as, instead of kicking his legs to reach the surface, V instead sank lower, body limp. Realising suddenly that V did not know how to swim, Nero dived towards him, and swum them hastily back to the platform, where he all but threw V up upon the damp surface. Many hands grasped at the soaking wet, shivering man, yet another dart gun aimed at Nero, even as he backed slowly away from the edge.

“Don't.” Nero was startled to hear V's hoarse voice, and even more so at the words he was trying to say. “Please, he didn't mean any harm. Just let him go.”

Somehow that last sentence....Nero knew that V meant more than the more obvious meaning. Even after Nero tried to drown him, V still didn't want him harmed; wanted Nero to be free. Shame coursed through Nero's veins at that knowledge, and with a tentative hand, he reached his clawed hand up to lightly touch V's shaking arm.

The researchers all shifted at Nero's movements, and he paused to make sure that they would not fire upon him, each watching the other warily. Only V reached back out towards him, hand curling gently around Nero's wrist.

How could someone like V even exist? Why wasn't he angry or upset at Nero?

Nero needed to work out a way to apologise to the halfling for his error in judgement, he needed to make up for his almost life ending mistake. So lost in his own thoughts, Nero missed what V had been saying, startling badly as cool fingers touched upon the heavy metal collar wrapped around his neck. V jerked his hand back quickly, apologies falling from his slightly blue lips. Beside and behind him, the researchers shook their heads, before a couple stepped forwards to help him down from the tank.

Nero sank back beneath the water, relieved that he hadn't been darted again, and watched as V was led from the room. He didn't really expect the other man to return again, not after what he had done, but he still hoped. Just before V stepped through the door, Nero hummed a little song for him, full of all of the words he didn't know how to speak. V looked over his shoulder at him, a little smile upon his face, and Nero knew that he had been forgiven.

Back and forth Nero was shifted between the lab and the showroom, and he was slowly getting used to his new way of life. He missed his family and friends with an almost desperate longing, but the presence of V – a surprise new addition to his time in the lab – that kept him sane.

Nero hadn't expected V to come back again to see him, neither as a visitor to the exhibition, nor as a helper in the lab, but a week after the incident, V had appeared before him, taking over Nero's care. He wasn't sure just how he had managed it, but somehow V had convinced the researchers to let him remove Nero's collar. The relief that he had filled him as the metal slid away from his throat nearly had him bursting into song above the water. It was only the fear of V getting hurt, or the risk of having the collar replaced, that stopped him, and instead he had sunk into the water, trills of happiness escaping him.

Day after day V would sit atop the platform, legs crossed, making Nero curious as to what he was doing. It didn't take much thought before Nero decided that he wanted to know what held V's attention so firmly, and he wriggled his way up onto the platform himself, ignoring the startled yelps of the researchers, and slight frown from V as he held something in his hand away from the stray droplets of water that Nero was dripping.

With a wet, clawed hand, Nero reached out for the object that V held, scowling unhappily as V shifted it further away from him. V grumbled as more water wet the area as Nero struggled against him, finally telling him to sit still and he would show him. With a pout, that Nero would deny ever showing, he settled beside the other man, scaled tail pressing against V's warm side.

Hesitantly, the object was brought down and into Nero's line of sight; and when the picture came into view, Nero's heart pounded excitedly in his chest. Home. On the white surface V had made a picture of his home, spirals and arching towers and all. Even the coral garden and seaweed forest was present. And swimming gracefully beside the castle, were three familiar figures.

His father, his uncle Dante, and Nero himself.

Each mer was drawn wearing their ceremonial jewels, their bodies draped in the pearls and delicate shells, swords hilted at their hips. Nero reached out a trembling hand to brush over his father's stern face, the pencil marks smearing under his damp fingers and destroying the picture. A hitched breath left him then, and without another word to the startled man beside him, Nero plunged back into the water; a song of mourning bursting from his mouth.

He was homesick, Nero realised with a start. So incredibly homesick, and he hadn't even realised it. How had he gotten so used to this caged life, that he had started to forget where he belonged? A low sad humming reached Nero's ears, intertwining with his own song, the words jumbled up, but the feelings coming across loud and clear.

Nero wasn't sure just when V had gotten off of the platform, but now he sat beside the edge of his enclosure, eyes closed and head pressed against the glass, humming his own version of comfort. His song was discordant still, and none of it made any sense if you tried listening to his words, but the emotion shone through regardless. Swimming closer, Nero curled before the other man's crouched form, and listened to his song.

Each day, V would arrive along with the first of the researchers, staying beside the tank and talking to Nero. He wouldn't leave until the last person left for the night, unless he was forced from the room – struggling all the while – when Nero was pulled from the water for more tests. Seeing V struggle against those forcing him from the room sent a bolt of protectiveness through Nero's body, but there was nothing he could to do to stop them. As soon as he was able, V would rush back into the room, falling to his knees before the glass, eyes scanning frantically over Nero to make sure he was ok. Each time his wide green eyes would fall upon a new bruise or mark upon Nero's skin, he would look at him with a look filled with such sadness that Nero tried to hide them.

Some days, when Nero was out on display for the humans, V would sit upon the platform they built in the roof, watching over him. Other times Nero would search the crowded room for his near constant companion, seeing him sitting upon the bench near the back talking to another man. Jealousy would fill Nero as he watched V lavish his attention upon another, only growing worse when he saw the two embrace. Why wouldn't V do that with him? Was that other man perhaps, V's lover? Nero felt his mood sink at the thought, and he let out a sad trill. Even the fact that V's head shot up and turned towards him at the first low note, didn't help Nero feel better; and for once he turned away from his friend.


	4. Chapter 4

V didn't even make it five steps out of the exhibit room before he was accosted by a group of, what he assumed were researchers. Griffon stood before them all, arms crossed in front of his chest, impressive scowl spread across his face.

“A moment of your time if you will?” One of the men in the group called out to V.

Realising that the chances of them letting Griffon and himself leave without interference was incredibly low, V agreed to speak with them; following slowly as they led him into a staff room in the restricted area.

It was there that they offered V a job to help take care of the mer; effectively confusing the hell out of both himself and Griffon (who had insisted on following after his friend, not trusting these weirdos not to do something untoward with V). They explained that they had been observing the mer all day, an had noticed the interaction that V had had with him earlier; stating that no one else had managed to elicit such a reaction from him before.

V was torn. On one hand he didn't really like the idea of keeping another being trapped to be used for research and entertainment, but on the other, since the mer was already here, he was incredibly excited to be given the chance to interact with a creature he had spent his whole life dreaming about. In the end he had agreed to the deal, and although he was happy, a weight settled itself in his gut.

Maybe, V thought to himself, maybe if he was brave enough or smart enough, he might be able to find a way to release the other. Because he too knew what it felt like to desire freedom, and be denied.

It was agreed upon that V would come in to the lab in a week's time, and on the morning of his first day, V found himself pacing restlessly across his front room, chewing anxiously at his nails. Nico, his room-mate popped her head around the corner to wish him good luck, disappearing soon after to head into her own work. Arriving at the aquarium, he was met with one of the researchers, who introduced himself as Jack, and was walked through the back areas towards the lab.

He was met at the door by several others, shyly nodding at them in greeting, before they all walked in. His eyes immediately fell upon the mer in an enclosure even smaller than the one on display, and watched in surprise as he shot to the surface before clawing his way up onto a hidden platform. People were running everywhere, yelling at the mer to get back into the tank and trying to push him back to stop him from pulling himself further out of the water.

They were soon brushed aside, and although V could see he used his clawed hand to do so, not one person was injured badly. Jack yelled at V to do something to stop the mer, and he merely stared blankly at the other in confusion – just what did he think he could do? He had no control over him whatsoever, jolting forwards as he was knocked into by a couple of men and women carrying dart guns. All throughout this chaos, V's eyes had met and were held by the mer's mesmerising blue orbs, that seemed to be trying to send him a message.

Their gaze was broken as the first dart hit the creature, his face wincing in pain as he was hit, tearing the dart from his flesh before he started to skin back into the water. His eyes still tried to hold V's, but with each slow blink, he became drowsier and drowsier, but not before the look in his eyes changed to that of an angry glare. Rage filled V then, and it took great restraint to keep from yelling at every single person in the room, as he could not believe just how carelessly they were treating such a beautiful being.

He demanded to be allowed to remain in the lab until the mer woke up once more, just to check on him to make sure that he was ok – he'd spend all night waiting if that was what it took. V could see that they were obviously reluctant to give permission, and he crossed his arms in front of his chest stubbornly. Finally the leader granted him permission, but V would not be allowed to remain alone with the mer, as it would seem that they did not fully trust him with their star attraction.

After thanking them gratefully, V climbed back up to the platform above the water; settling himself cross legged, to wait. V wasn't quite aware when he first noticed the creature stirring, but a slight movement from below him caught his attention. Leaning forwards to try to get a better view in the dim light, V was startled to find the mer staring back at him, white hot rage beginning to burn in those cold blue eyes.

Within one heartbeat and the next, the mer shot up from the ground, tail flicking rapidly and propelling him towards the surface. Confused, V leant further forwards, upper body hovering over the open tank. Two wet arms shot up from the water to surround him, yanking V into the tank, his startled gasp dying as he was pulled beneath the churning water.

V struggled against the hold wildly, arms held uselessly against his sides, but legs kicking wildly as his body writhed desperately. Air! He needed air! V could feel his chest start to ache as his body screamed for air, had to resist the urge to try to draw some into his lungs, lest he take in water instead. His struggles ceased though when his stinging eyes clashed with the mer's coolly, observant eyes, wondering just what the other could see in his gaze.

V wasn't sure just was sort of expression he was making in that moment, but he wondered if he face displayed all of the fear and desperation that he was feeling. Did it also show his helplessness, and the resignation that this was how his life was to end? He didn't know, and at that moment, he didn't care, but whatever it showed affected the mer. His gaze softened as he stared deep into V's eyes, so deep that V felt as though he could see his very soul, and his hold loosened, if just slightly.

If V had had more breath, perhaps he might have used the opportunity to try to escape, but instead, the last of his air left him in a rush of bubbles racing towards the surface. The creature released V then, and V felt himself start to sink, darkness overcoming his vision. Just before he lost consciousness altogether though, V could have sworn those same arms wrapped around him carefully once more.

With drew a much needed breath of air into his starved lungs as he was all but thrown upon the platform above the tank, breaths rasping in his throat, even as he coughed out the water that was in his lungs. Warm hands pulled him away from the edge towards safety, and even with his hearing fading in and out, V could hear the distinctive click of a dart gun being prepared.

“Don't.” V's voice was barely audible, and pained and hoarse. “Please. He didn't mean any harm. Just let him go.”

Let him go, and don't shoot him again. Let him go and release him back into the sea where he belonged; not captive here in this lab surrounded by humans. For even though he had been pulled beneath the water by the creature and held there until he nearly drowned, V could not find it in his heart to blame him. When their eyes had met, just before he had passed out, V could see the hurt and betrayal that the mer held towards himself; and couldn't help but know that his inactions earlier in the day had put them there. No, if anyone were to take the blame, it would be V himself, and he would not allow them to punish the other for his actions.

Nervous shuffling met his words then, and an unexpectedly cold, wet hand touched his arm softly. The researchers were wary of the mer's intentions, with good reason, but V ignored them, reaching out and wrapping his trembling fingers around his wrist.

The sight of that dammed metal collar bothered V though, and he wanted to know if something could be done about it. He had a feeling that a lot of the mer's unhappiness could be traced back to the device.

“Is that really necessary?” He asked those closest to him. They tilted their heads in confusion, and V realised that they couldn't read his mind, an embarrassed flush rising to his cheeks.

“This.” He spoke, reaching out to touch the metal, pulling his hand back with a jerk when the mer flinched away from him. “I...I'm sorry, I didn't mean....” V trailed off, lump rising in his throat at the look he received.

“I'm sorry, but we can't removed that.” They told him with shaking heads. “He can lure us to do things for him if allowed to sing above water, and that could prove disastrous.”

“I understand.” V responded quietly.

He understood of course, but that didn't mean that he had to like it. Two of the stronger assistants helped V to shakily rise to his feet, guiding him down off of the tank, and pushing him gently into a seat. He was wrapped in towels and offered a hot drink to try to warm his chilled body, and all the while V could feel the pointed stare from the tank.

Just before V left for the night, clothes still damp, and trembles lessened significantly; he could hear a low song fill the lab. There were no words that he could hear, or at least not in any language that he could understand, but the feelings of regret shone through clearly. A small smile pulled at V's lips, and he looked over his shoulder to make sure that the mer could see it; the smile widening slightly at the look of wonder that crossed his face. With that final gesture, V turned and left, already dreading the scolding he was going to get from both Griffon and Nico when he got home.

It was nearly a week before V was allowed back into the lab, the assistants telling him it was too dangerous for him to return, even as V tried insisting that it wasn't. They had argued back and forwards the whole week, before finally they had agreed for V to return when they had noticed that the mer had started looking listless.

V had happily returned to watching over the mer, whom he had privately dubbed Nero in his mind (simply put he thought the other looked like he belonged to the night, regardless of the moon pale strands of hair upon his head – a hunter maybe – and well he had always had a fondness for the Italian language, screw Latin thank you very much).

It seemed that Nero was happy to see him too, the surprised chirp that escaped him when he saw V enter the lab, both endearing and adorable. However the longer that V spent around the other, the more the collar grated on him, until finally he broke down and begged the lead researcher to allow him to remove it. V had promised that if Nero tried to lure then again, they could replace the collar – albeit he said this reluctantly – but he was sure that Nero was intelligent and would not attempt to try that again regardless.

The moment the collar pulled free from his neck, V could see the absolute joy that crossed Nero's face. For a terrifying moment, V thought for sure Nero was about to burst into song and have the collar slapped back on less than a minute after it's removal, but thankfully he dived beneath the water and trilled happily, flipping and diving in the water. V laughed at the feelings of joy that he felt from the song, even as the others, cringed and covered their ears.

Each day after that, V would come in the morning to visit Nero; either sitting before the glass in the lab, or above the showroom, looking down at both Nero and the crowd spending their time gawking at him – even if Nero was more likely to be hiding (likely sleeping), or simply staring back up at V himself. Sometimes, when there were no others in the exhibition room with them, Nero would swim up to the platform, and rest his fingers against the edge – bars preventing him from pulling himself out of the tank – and reach out for V's hand.

V would always reach back out towards Nero, taking his cold, wet hand in his own, and run curious fingers over his scales and claws. In return, Nero would poke at V's own hands, seemingly both surprised and baffled at the lack of webbing between his fingers, pressing his fingertips against the almost uselessly blunt tips of V's long fingers. V would laugh at the look of disgruntlement that Nero wore when he would pull his finger back unscathed, the slightest of dents upon his digit the only mark left behind, no matter how hard he pressed.

V supposed that his lack of visible weapons at his disposal confused Nero, who would have had to turn himself into the weapon when he had been living in the ocean – his own claws, and teeth weapons to fight with; and even his songs could be used to dissuade or confuse the other marine life, too large to battle. It had taken the aquarium employees a while to notice it, but whenever Nero would sing, or even just hum, some of the fish seemed to fall into a trance, swimming mindlessly towards the closest barrier of their enclosure that was nearest to Nero's location.

Nero had started to become intrigued with the food that V was eating, often times in the lab abandoning his own meal of fish, to pull himself out onto the platform and peer at the assortment of foods upon V's tray. The first few times he had turned his head away with a scrunched nose, when V had offered him a taste, but finally curiosity seemed to get the better of him.

When V had offered Nero a bite of his plain old cheese sandwich, Nero had leant forwards cautiously for a bite, sharp teeth digging into the soft, white bread. V nearly fell off the platform laughing as Nero spat out the food, scraping his tongue with his nails to rid himself of the taste, and diving back into the water to grab his fish instead. He stared at V's food with a quiet distrust after that, disdaining to try anything else, until the smell of cooked meat enticed him to try again.

After chewing slowly on the bite of beef, V had watched with amusement as Nero's eyes had widened gleefully, as he demanded the more and more of the cooked morsels. V had ended up feeding Nero the entire plate, but he hadn't minded all that much; not when Nero had looked so happy, chirping giddily when he slipped back into the water.

Occasionally V would be asked to leave the labs, the assistants and researchers having to bodily remove him from the room after he had seen the tired resignation that had crossed Nero's face as their work area had been set up. Before he had been shoved from the room, V had seen how they had sedated Nero with the dart gun, lowering ropes into the water to pull the unconscious mer out. He had screamed and beat at the door to be let back in, needed to be there to comfort Nero in any way that he could, but two guards stood and blocked his way, only moving aside when Nero had been dropped back into the tank.

V had sunk to his knees beside the glass, tears streaming down his face as he took in the new reddened marks and bruises that Nero bore from being restrained and shifted around; the tiny pin pricks where they had inserted their needles. To say that the tension in the lab had been unbearable would be an understatement, and only the fear of being kept away from Nero prevented V from destroying the lab in a fit of rage. In the months that V continued to attend to Nero, the situation repeated itself another five times. And with each time that occurred, V's determination to remove Nero from their clutches grew.

As much as V enjoyed sitting quietly and just watching over Nero, he did on occasion get bored with nothing else to do. Especially if Nero was having a lazy day, sleeping all day, or if he was recovering from the latest set of tests and experiments. As such, he started to bring books to read, or more commonly his sketchbook and pencils.

V could still remember the pout that Nero had worn when V hadn't let him have his book, rightly thinking that the mer was likely to pull his precious book beneath the water, where it would disintegrate as soon as it touched the liquid. Nero didn't seem to understand that paper and water just did not mix well, and V was at a loss to explain to him that water was bad for human things. How was he supposed to explain that concept to a being who's very existence relied upon water and everything within it? Instead, V had compromised, and bought a children's bath book for Nero to play with; watching as Nero had clutched the plastic pages as he dived beneath the water, glancing up and copying V as he turned his own paper pages.

V had been distracted almost the entire time he had been visiting Nero, and he hadn't even realised it. It wasn't until he was almost splashed with the small wave of water Nero created when he threw himself from the tank, landing heavily next to him that V realised how upset he was getting at being ignored. They both disregarded the gasps of shock from the others in the room, V merely waved his hand at them to tell them to relax.

V watched as Nero reached out his hand for his sketchbook, hesitantly turning the page until he showed the mer what he had been working on. He didn't stop him when a wet hand touched the page, over the face of what V had assumed to be a king or leader, the pencil smearing beneath the water left behind. This ceased to matter to V though, when he caught sight of Nero's face; the look of shock and homesickness that was painted across his features, so heartbreaking that V could feel his own chest tighten with emotion.

With a little muted cry, Nero flipped around and dived back beneath the surface and away from V, startling V badly. He scrambled off the platform as fast as he legs could carry him, leaving his art materials lying a top the tank and ignoring the alarmed calls echoing in the lab, collapsing upon his knees beside the tank, hand raised to press against the glass in a long familiar position, trying to soothe the hurting mer trapped within.

He closed his eyes, and hummed a low song in the back of his throat, something that he hoped conveyed his worry and sadness for Nero, something that told him that V was there for him if only Nero wanted him to be. When he finally opened up his watery eyes, Nero had shifted closer to his position, lying curled up against the glass before his knelt position, wide eyes taking in V's features. A trembling smile crept over V's face as their eyes met; and Nero tentatively returned it with a small smile of his own.

Months passed, feeling more like hours, neither feeling like they had spent enough time with the other, but at the same time feeling as though they had done nothing but bask in the other's presence.

Griffon had started coming around to the aquarium to visit V now and then, complaining bitterly that he never got to see his best friend anymore. He pulled V to the back of the showroom, a small crowd of curious children staring wide eyed into Nero's enclosure, mouths gaping and cameras flashing, disregarding the signs not to use the flash.

“Hurmph, so this is the thing that has been taking up all ya time for the last half year huh?” Griffon remarked drily, turning to run his eyes over Nero's form. “Can't see what's so good about 'im. Curious looking, half fish dudes do it for you eh?”

V's face flushed with embarrassment, and he hid behind his hands, elbowing Griffon in the stomach as he did so.

“Shut up,” V groaned. “Don't make it creepy Griff. I just, you know that mythical creatures have always been a passion of mine; and mers especially. I just....I just feel like there could be a connection between us, you know? I don't know, maybe it's all just wishful thinking and I'm imagining it.”

Griffon's eyes softened as he looked over his friend, taking in his dejected posture and fidgeting hands. He knew that V had always felt this way about the creatures of myth, knew how he had never felt as though he had fit in anywhere. He could see how attached V was growing to this fish man, and he worried; one day fish legs wasn't going to be here anymore – either he'd die from being held captive or the experiments, or he'd escape and leave V behind – and Griffon didn't want to even think of what that would do to V's poor heart.

He laid a comforting hand on V's back, pulling his upset friend into a tight hug, and trying to tell him without words that he was there for him (but without words, because there was no way Griffon was going to say something so mushy and emotional).

“I'm sure you're not imagining it V. He must think fondly of you too, from what little I've seen.”

V looked up at Griffon then with a smile, hands resting lightly upon the arms still holding him. A sad trill whispered through the air then, vibrating uncomfortably within Griffon's ears, but not affecting V at all. Immediately V's head turned towards the enclosure, eyes clashing with soulful blue orbs, and he rose from his seat to get closer to the glass. The children had long been ushered away from the room, and no one else had entered recently, leaving just the three of them alone.

Griffon watched as V stood before the glass, hands pressed flat, Nero's hands pressed against his, and a triumphant smile on his face. Over V's shoulder, Griffon could see Nero shooting him a little frown; the look betraying his jealousy, before he looked down again, smile softening into something sweeter; and in the glass Griffon could see the expression mirrored upon V's own face.

And in that moment, Griffon knew. V had fallen in love with the merman; and Nero clearly felt the same way for V.


	5. Chapter 5

To say that Nero was pleased that V seemed to now be spending more time with him, would be an understatement. He was even more pleased that since the last time when he had, stupidly, revealed his jealousy regarding that other man with V, the other had not been back again to take away V's attention from him. What had at first started as a strange fascination regarding an unknown, human presenting halfing; had turned into something deeper, something more like friendship, with a potential for something deeper if only they could make their intentions known. Nero knew, _he knew_ , that anything more happening between them was nothing but an impossibility, but that didn't stop his feelings from growing slowly but surely every day that he spent with V.

And Nero had been _trying_ ; gods had he been trying to get through to V. He wasn't sure if he wasn't making his intentions known clearly enough, if V wasn't interested in the same sex, or the whole being a completely different species thing was the problem. Of course there was also the option of V just not realising that Nero was interested also.

Nero wasn't really sure what more he could do, besides spontaneously learning to speak the human language and just _telling_ V he was interested in him. Whenever V had been sitting on the platform in the labs – not drawing on his delicate, easily destroyed paper – Nero would haul himself up beside him. He would shoot the assistants and techs watching him warily a smirk, before turning back towards V and grinning roguishly at him. The first few times he had done this, V had turned a very strange and endearing shade of pink, Nero reaching out to gently poke at his cheeks. V had turned away then, hiding his face behind his hands, and at first Nero had been nervous that he had upset the other man. It wasn't until V had been bemoaning the fact that Nero made him blush, that he had been able to sense that V wasn't angry or upset at him – not really anyway.

Other times Nero would simply sit beside V, or even just lean against the edge of the tank, watching the dark haired man make more of his pictures. Occasionally Nero would make little curious enquiring noises, and V would correctly interpret his interest in knowing what it was that he was drawing. Nero of course couldn't understand V's words, but he could hear the emotion that they contained; could hear the longing in his voice, that he wasn't sure V was even aware of, that Nero could well understand.

V had surprised him the other day though, and although he hadn't really enjoyed the prank, getting to hearV's light, carefree laughter had been worth it in the end. He had been asleep when V had arrived at the lab; the first time he had been brought back from the showroom in almost a fortnight, and he had been unimaginably tired of hundreds of slack jawed, snub nosed humans staring and ooing at him.

V had been in his usual position, sitting cross legged upon the platform (his rear pressed flat tauntingly upon the clear surface much to Nero's glee and despair), fiddling with a strange, shiny, flat looking..... _thing._ Paying the object no mind, Nero came to regret his decision once he had surfaced, hands gripping the edge of the platform, ready to pull himself out of the water.

V had lifted his hand with the thing in it, pointing it towards Nero, and he had felt a moment of fear shoot down his spine before a flash as bright as lightning filled his vision, causing him to loosen his grip upon the platform and sent him tumbling back into the water with a splash. V sat up quickly, his light tinkle of laughter cutting off when he noticed Nero shaking his head frantically, clawing at his eyes. With a worried look, V hovered over the edge of the platform, waiting with baited breath for Nero to resurface. In his worry, V didn't even realise that he was unconsciously chirping a mer distress call – but Nero did, and it pulled him from his daze.

His eyes shot up towards where V peered into the water, before shooting towards the others in the room, thankfulness filling him when they either didn't notice the sound, or attributed it to himself; hiding smiles of mirth behind their hands. Cautiously, Nero had surfaced again, making sure to keep his eyes half closed just in case that terrible light blinded him again; startling and nearly falling back into the water when V laid an apologetic hand upon his face, frown overtaking his expression.

Patting V's hand with his own to show him he was forgiven, Nero finally hauled himself out of the water and peered down at the brightly shinning thing that was laid, forgotten, on the platform beside them. To say that he was both surprised and a little terrified to see a likeness of himself staring back at him would be an understatement, and Nero spooked, batting it away from him, lest it try to eat his soul or something.

V hurriedly picked it up, trying to explain that it wouldn't hurt Nero. He showed Nero the likeness again, then pulled out his sketchbook and showed him the pictures he had drawn in there. It took him a while, but Nero finally managed to work out that his picture on the new thing, was just a different way for V to draw him....or something. After that he became more interested in the flashy, picture maker, even more so when V showed him how it worked, and then took a picture of himself. Nero stared down at the likeness of V, then back up at the real one, staring wondering at them both. He had two V's now, Nero thought with a grin. V blushed at the look Nero was sending him, and to Nero's extreme disappointment, he took the picture maker away, and never brought it back with him again.

The last couple of days though, Nero had noticed that although V had been spending more time than ever at the labs with him, a lot of his time was now split between spending time with Nero himself, and chatting with the techs at the computers. Jealousy reared it's ugly head as he watched _his_ V talk with those less deserving of his attention, and he made his discontent known by splashing any assistants that come too close, and sitting as close as he could to V upon the platform. V had seemed almost startled when Nero had first started pressing his damp body up against his side, even more so when Nero had started touching his hands and face nearly constantly; but he hadn't stopped Nero, so he counted that as a win.

Sometimes when V would sit above the tank in the exhibition room, Nero would see him drawing in his book; an inquisitive look confusing him further, as instead of the usual pictures of mystical creatures and fantastical dreamscapes, all Nero could see was computers and strange screens that looked almost like those in the lab. Nero would watch him with his head tilted, as V's fingers tapped relentlessly upon the paper, tapping out a rhythm that meant nothing to the mer. It also confused Nero further when he realised that V would only draw these pictures when there were no others around them, and he always made sure that he was out of sight of the cameras focused upon them.

Feeling as though something was going on, but unable to ask V just what he was thinking, Nero soon pushed the issue to the back of his mind. He wouldn't say that he was happy with his situation per se, but the addition of V, and their added closeness was enough to at least make his captivity bearable. And if Nero wished that he could capture V and steal him away back to his own home, well....no one needed to know about those dreams of his.

There was just one thing that put a dampener on Nero's budding happiness, and that was the growing look of sadness that hid deep within V's green eyes. Every time V would visit, each smile he would show Nero, was overshadowed by the sadness that lurked. Whenever Nero would touch V, he would shudder, his own hands running reverently over Nero's scaled hands gently, as though trying to commit the feeling to memory. As though he would not be there to look or touch Nero anymore. Why? Why was V so sad? Was he going to go away and leave Nero here all alone? Why would he do that? Nero didn't know, and so he made sure to stay as close to the other as he possibly could.

It was pretty late at night when a noise woke Nero from his restless sleep, the loud beep of a lock disengaging drawing his attention. A darkly clad figure creeping into the room silently from the seldom used outer door, closing the door carefully behind them, and engaging the lock. Slowly rising from his prone position, Nero eyed the human suspiciously, wondering just who it was that was creeping around, when everyone else had left already.

The figure approached Nero on silent feet, causing him to reel back in fear, a trill of anxiety escaping him. Normally a single human wouldn't scare Nero like this, but this was an unknown person, someone who might have even worse intentions for him than the techs and researchers here; someone that might take him away from his V.

At the sound of the rapidly retreating mer, the figure hurried towards the tank, hands pressing tightly against the glass, and a familiar voice broke the tension.

“Shh, shh Nero, it's just me V ok? Shh, I'm sorry I scared you.” V's voice calmed Nero's nerves immediately, and he propelled himself forwards to press against the glass also. He stared into V's sad eyes, wondering why they shone so wetly, and chirped questioningly. “I'm getting you out of here Nero, you'll be free again.”

Nero was startled at the tone of V's words, not understanding why he sounded so sad, and understanding even less when V turned away from him, and headed towards the mass of controls splayed out across numerous tables. He watched as V's fingers flew across the panels, the lights coming to life beneath his hands as he pressed a sequence of buttons rapidly.

The sound of metal screeching hurt Nero's ears, and he turned in surprise to see the grate covering the opening into the outside tank slowly sinking, leaving an opening big enough for Nero to squeeze through. He looked up at V, seeing the other still rapidly pressing buttons across the panel, his pale face whitening at the first sounds of banging upon the lab door.

“Go! GO Nero! HURRY!”

Sensing the urgency in V's voice, and understanding the shooing motions directed towards himself, Nero sent one last fleeting look towards V, before diving into the opening. Once through, Nero wasn't sure just what V had intended for Nero to do, since he was still unable to escape through the last metal door separating him from the ocean. The beep of the outer door sounded again, and V tumbled through the door hurriedly, slamming it closed as the sound of footsteps raced towards them. With a muffled curse, V locked the door again, praying that none of the security guards present knew the code, and that it would buy him precious moments to unlock the final gate separating Nero from freedom.

Nero watched, with a sense of urgency, as V pulled a piece of his sketchbook from his pocket, racing over to the last control panel atop the metal door. With trembling fingers, V started to input the code he had stolen – had spent painstaking hours copying and memorising the things he had gotten the techs to reveal – sighing in relief as the red light flashed a brilliant green, the door beginning to lower. Nero swam restlessly in the outdoor enclosure, tail flickering nervously as the door started to open, cursing inwardly that it didn't open from the bottom where he might have been able to slip beneath when the gap grew big enough.

Freedom was calling to him loudly now, and it was almost within reach; and it was all because of one halfling human. At this thought, Nero turned to look for the other man, swimming over when he realised that V was knelt down at the edge of the pool, eyes swimming with tears. Nero reached out to grasp his hand, holding it tightly with his own, humming a tune of thanks. V's smile was small but genuine, though Nero could see how his heart was breaking. The grating sound of the metal door behind them faded into the background, as their gazes tried to communicate all the words that they couldn't say. Ever so carefully, Nero lifted V's hand to his mouth and left the most fleeting of kisses upon the cool flesh, before letting go, and diving back beneath the water.

When the sounds of the metal grating abruptly stopped, V cursed loudly, scrambling back to his feet, and racing over towards the panel. Nero darted confusedly before the gate, eyeing the distance over the barrier, and realising that he still wouldn't be able to make it over just yet; at least not without a decent run up.

V stood before the panel slamming his fingers into the buttons frantically, hoping to override the command that he been given remotely, unaware of the sound of the outer door shattering under the continued assault. Gods Griffon was going to kill him, he thought, getting a call this late at night to come bail him out of jail.....but it was worth it. It was so worth it, V decided with a fleeting look towards where Nero waited. Finally, finally the light turned green once more, and the gate was ready to start dropping again; all V needed to do now was press the last button to enter the command.

“Don't move!” The guards lined the edge of the tank, pistols held at the ready. “Put your hands where we can see them, and come peacefully. If you do not comply, we will have no choice but to use force!”

V's hands rose into the air slowly, his eyes darting over to where Nero stared back at him worriedly. He knew what he was about to do would be dangerous, had known that this whole plan of his had been stupidly risky; but for Nero he would do anything. And with that last thought in mind, his left hand shot down to hit the command button, the metal gate screeching as it started dropping once more.

Nero stared in horror as the sounds of small explosions filled the air, V's back blooming crimson, in ever expanding circles. He screamed out at V stumbled forwards, legs trembling under his own weight, before he tumbled off the wall and into the ocean beyond the gate. When the sound of V's body hitting the water reached his ears, Nero rose up from the water, eyes blazing in anger, mouth open, and began to sing. The melody that flowed from his mouth stopped the guards in their tracks, their weapons lowering and eyes glazing over. As one, they turned towards the edge of the enclosure, stepping forwards until they all fell into the water.

Nero briefly considered swimming over to them and holding each and every one of the despicable humans beneath the surface, until water replaced the air in their lungs, wanting to watch as the life bled from their eyes, one by one; but a familiar, and longed for voice called out to him. His father and Dante were here, just on the other side of the gate, waiting for Nero.

“Nero!” Vergil's voice cried out, echoed by Dante's. “Quickly, before more humans come. There is already a half dead one floating on this side, and it is attracting the predators already.”

V! Nero released his hold on the humans in the water, ignoring their confused and terrified cries and the coughing of those who were struggling to keep themselves afloat. By now the gate had lowered itself until it was almost level with the water's surface, making it easy for Nero to lift himself over the rest of the way. On the other side he was quickly surrounded on both sides by his family, both of the older men holding him tightly.

But Nero could spare only a moment for the older pair, apologising softly to them, even as he broke their hold and approached V. The dark haired man was clinging weakly to the rocks that edged the enclosure, skin looking paler than the moon, and soaking wet. Dante and Vergil tried to stop Nero from getting closer to him, neither knowing just what V had done for him. They could sense the siren in the other man, but to them, it was just another reason to mistrust him.

“V.” Nero's voice was beautiful V thought, even as he was surprised that the human sound came from the mer before him. “V.”

Nero reached out to him, gathering V up in his arms, and feeling that warm wetness coat his hands. As much as Nero wanted to believe that it was just water he could feel, he knew that it wasn't. The deep red was familiar to Nero, painfully so, and he knew from the amount he could feel, that V.....that V......

He couldn't bring himself to finish that thought, his heart thudding painfully in his chest, even as V smiled weakly at him. An icy cold hand reached up to touch Nero's face, falling back into the water with a small splash, when V's strength waned.

“I'm so glad that you were able to escape Nero. You were always meant to be free, and it was wrong of them to keep you locked up like that.” V's eyes closed slowly, opening even slower as Nero shook him urgently. “Hmm, I suppose that I'm free now too huh?”

V's eyes fell closed once more, and Nero wailed when his chest fell still. Vergil and crept closer to the pair, Dante trailing behind uncertainly, laying a caring hand upon Nero's shaking shoulder. The pair shuddered at the sound of Nero's mourning cry, neither understanding why he was so upset about the death of one of the humans who had kept him captured.

“Come Nero, we must leave before you are captured again. Leave the human here for the rest to find.” Vergil urged his son, tugging uselessly at his arm.

“He freed me, you know?” Nero murmured quietly, holding V closer to his chest. “I didn't realise what he had been doing, but for weeks, V had been planning on setting me free. He gave up his life to make sure I escaped just now, they wouldn't have hurt him if he hadn't made the gate start opening again.”

Vergil and Dante looked down upon the still halfling with surprise, neither man having realised that it had been V that had helped Nero escape. Now that they knew though, they could feel a sense of thankfulness, that sadly they would never be able to convey.

“He used to sit with me and keep me company, and he'd even try to hum for me to comfort me. Of course his song was terrible and made no sense.....but it was beautiful all the same.” Nero's voice hitched as he continued speaking. “Just, just like he is.”

Nero ran his fingers through those familiar dark strands, clawed fingers trailing carefully along the ridge of V's nose until they reached his cold, parted lips; not a single breath escaping from between them.

“Ha!” A broken laugh broke from Nero's mouth, startling the other mer, drawing their gazes back up to his heartbroken face. “Did you know, that I used to dream I would steal V away with me and bring him home with us? I'd find a way to awaken the siren within him, and he would make the change and grow the most beautiful tail.... we...we would be so happy together...and I would finally be able to tell him that I thought I was falling in love with him.”

Vergil startled at the words, never having thought that Nero would fall in love with another so quickly. He felt devastated for his son, for they all knew, that even had none of this happened, anything between them could only be fleeting, as nothing lasting could ever be possible. This though, this was the worst possible outcome that could have occurred. Nero's next words nearly broke Vergil then, and he listened quietly as his son turned back to his chosen once more.

“This isn't how I wanted to have my first kiss with you, you know V,” Nero spoke softly, turning away from his father and uncle. “And I guess it would be unfair of me to take that from you now.....so I suppose, this will have to do instead.”

Nero kissed the tips of his fingers, pressing them gently against V's lips before withdrawing slowly. With incredibly great care, Nero lifted V's body onto land, making sure it was laid somewhere it would not fall, nor be missed in the inevitable search the next day. He desperately wished he could take him down into the ocean with him, but even had he been alive, that would not have been possible. So with one last lingering look, Nero turned and disappeared into the water with his family, never to be seen again, leaving his heart behind.


End file.
